Bumping-post



J. M. SCOTT.

BUMPING POST.

- APPLICATION mm m. 7. 1921.

1,387,561. PatentedAug. 16,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET MMMMM I. M. SCOTT. BUMPING POST.

APPLICATION mm 0.1.1921.

1,387,561 Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ill INVENTOR.

J. M. SCOTT.

BUMPING POST.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-7,1921.

1,387,561 PatentedAug. 16, 192 1.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Qw. INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYJ'.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. SCOTT, OF ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA.

BUMPING-POST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921;

Application filed February 7, 1921. Serial No. 442,962.

T 0 all whom it may 007t667'7t.

Be it known that 1, JOHN M. Soon, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Petersburg, in the county of Pinellas and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bumping- Posts, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to bumping posts and the object of the invention is to improve the construction and operation of bumping posts in the manner to be hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings which accompany this specification and form a part hereof, which drawings illustrate an embodiment of this invention, and on which drawings the same reference characters are eniployed to designate the same parts wherever they may appear in each of the several views, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the bumping post installed for use, parts being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the bumping post, parts being shown in section; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, vertical section taken on the line 33 on Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 4 is a transverse section of parts of the bumping post taken on the line H on Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the spring box of the bumping post shown by Figs. 1, 2, 3 and l; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of parts of the bumping post, illustrating a modified construction of the spring box; Fig. '7 is a longitudinal, vertical section taken on the line 7-7 on Fig. 6, looking in the direction indicated by the ar rows; Fig. S isa transverse section taken on the line 8-8 on Fig. 7, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and Fig. 9 is a plan view of the spring box shown by Figs. 6, 7 and 8.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numerals 1 and 2 designate the rails of a track to which a standard 3 is secured in the manner to be hereinafter described.

The standard 3 is illustrated by the drawings as composed of inwardly inclined and upwardly extending steel rear and side plates 4, 5 and 6, and an upright steel front 1t, 15, 16 and 17.

plate 7, which are all secured together to form the standard 3. These plates can be secured together in any suitable or preferred manner. The drawings illustrate the side plate 5 as bent over at S to form a part of the top of the standard. The bent over part 8 is provided with flanges 9 and 10 which are secured to the rear and front plates. The side plate 5 is also provided with flanges 11 and 12 which are secured to the rear and front plates. The side plate 6 is also provided with a corresponding bent over part 13 and. with corresponding flanges Rivets secure the flanges and adjacent plates together, as clearly shown by the drawings. A reinforcing plate 18 is secured to the rear plate 4t and to the bent over parts 8 and 13 of the side plates 5 and 6. The top of the front plate 7 is also bent over or flanged and secured to the bent over parts 8 and 13 of the side plates 5 and 6, as indicated by the reference numeral 19. This construction makes an exceedingly rigid standard with a rugged top for the reception of the spring box 20. The spring box 20 is provided with a lug 2 1 to bear against the front of the standard 3 and it is preferably secured to the standard by rivets which also serve to secure parts of the standard together, as will be clearly understood from an inspection of the drawings. The spring box contains spiral springs 22 which form a yieldable cushion for a plunger which can reciprocate within the spring box. The plunger is provided with a knuckle closer 2a to insure that the coupling knuckles are closed prior to the impact of couplings against the plunger, and, to keep the knuckle closer in proper position, the stem 25 of the plunger is made irregular in cross section and passes through a correspondingly shaped aperture 26 in the closed back 27 of the spring box. A pin 28 prevents the plunger from being projected from the spring box if the springs 22 are suddenly relieved from compression strain. The plungers shown by Figs. 1, 3 and 5 are primarily intended for freight car bumping posts. The plungers shown by Figs. 6, 7 and 9 are primarily intended for passenger .car bumping posts and are not provided with knuckle closers but are provided with buffers 29. The reference numerals 30 and 31 designate strengthening ribs formed integrally with the plunger and its stem. 7

Splicing members 32 and 33 are secured to the side plates 5 and 6 and are preferablysecured to the side plates by rivets. Each of these splicing members extends beyond the backward or, in other words, to be turned over backward upon the lower edge ofthe rear plate t with a consequent lifting of the front of the standard. The tendency of the front of the standard to lift is counteracted by a tie rod 36 which passes over the spring box and engages with an anchor 37 lying under the rails. The drawings illustrate the anchor 37 as composed of I beams 38 and 39 and a bridge plate 40 for bolts 41 and 42 which are secured to the tie rod 36 by turnbuckles 4-3 and 44.- The anchor 37 subjects the rails to a localized lifting, bending strain but the rails are strengthened by the splicing members 32 and 33 which can tend to the front and rear of the anchor, as clearly shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings. To further strengthen the rails and the splicing members above the anchor, long fish plates 45 and 46 are secured to the outsides of the rails and are shaped to fit between the heads and the flanges of the rails. The same bolts may be employed for securing the splicingmembers and the fish plates to the rails as will be clear from an inspection of Fig. 3 of the drawings where the bolts 47 pass through only the splicing member 32 and the rail, the bolts 4&8 pass through the splicing member 32, the rail and the fish plate 45, while the bolts 49 only pass through the rail and the fish plate.

The lower edge of the rear plate 4 is stiffened by a plate 50 riveted thereto and the plate is stiffened byv a cylindrical part 51 which serves as a brace between the rails. The ends of the brace or cylindrical part 51 are received within thimbles 52 and 53, the outer parts of which are shaped to fit between the heads and flanges of the rails and which are provided with extensions 54: to be secured to the rails by bolts 55. A tension rod 56 is passed through the rails, the thimbles 52 and 53 and the brace 51 and nuts 57 on its ends prevent spreading of the rails when the bumping post is struck by a car or cars.

Most roads are built to a standard gage so that the standard 3 and most of its asso- "with the standards 3, and orders can be filled promptly without its being necessary to carry in stock large quantities of stand-- ards with splicing members secured thereto to fit different sizes of rails.

The operation of the bumping post will be readily understood from the foregoing description of its construction. The spiral springs 22 are only put under tension when the plunger is forced intothe spring box by the impact ofa car or cars. The tendency of the front end of the standard to lift is overcome by the tie rod 36 being anchored to the rails and the bending of the rails is prevented by the additional rigidity and strength afforded by the splicing members and fish plates which extend bo'th to a the front and rear of the anchor and the tie rod.

What is claimed is:

1; The combination in a bumping post ofa standard, a spring box provided with a plunger and resilient or yieldable backing means, splicing members for securing the standard to rails, and a tie rod-and an anchor for securing thefront end of the bumping post to the rails.- Y

2. The combination in a bumping post of a standard, a spring box provided with a plunger and springs, rails, splicing members secured to the standard and the rails, a tie rod and an anchor for securing the front end of the bumping post to the rails, and, fish plates secured to the rails and extending in front of and behind the tie rod.

3. The combination in a bumping post of a standard, a spring boX provided with a plunger and springs, rails, splicing members secured to the standard and the rails, fish plates'secured tothe rails, an anchor and a tie rod for securing the front part of the bumping post to the rails, a brace se cured to the rear of the standard, and atension rod.

4. The combination in a bumping post of a standard composed of sheet metal rear and side plates, a spring box secured thereto and provided with a movable plunger and yieldable backing means, splicing members secured to the side plates, a brace secured to the rear plate, rails, fish plates, thimbles for the ends of the brace, an anchor and a tie rod, a tensionrod, and means for securing the splicing members and the fish plates to the rails.

5. A bumping post including a standard composed of upwardly inclined rear and side metal plates and splicing members shaped to fit between the heads and flanges 5 of rails secured to said side plates.

6. A standard for a bumping post composed of upwardly and inwardly inclined rear and side plates, an upright front plate, said plates being secured together and having their upper edges bent over to form a top.

In Witness whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

JOHN M. SCOTT. 

